Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-03
WAS MURDERED.
sody Found I'm the Ruins OF the
burned View York Cooperage.


The laborers engaged In the search yes
,erday for the body Of John Deery, the
nieht-watchman in Palmer's cooperage In
North Fifth street and Kent avenue, VIII
liamsburgh, noticed the dead mans dog
scratching at pile OF rubbish. Thev went
TO the place and saw portion OF Deery's
body. They began at once to remove the
bricks and timber tha, covered IL. Crouch
ing near them all the time was the dog
watching every movement. He remained
until. after six hours OF bard work. the body
was dug out. Then he went home With one
OF The mon.
"Tbat's the dog" said one OF the work.
men, "tbat II was said poor Deery re.
entered the burning building to save at the
time Of the first fire. but from what saw
to-day. and from what every one says, do
not believe the story. D3ery never cine
out e the building at ALL"
A very interesting theory has been sug
gesied by the place in the ruins at wbicD
the hody was found. II lay face down
under platform from which freight used
10 be loaded on cars. The platform was
about three feet above the floor. AT firsl
It was thought that Deery, being bali SUI
focaiCd. had got down on the floor 10
find relief from the smoke, and had crawled
under the platform. But an emDloye
showed Coroner Lindsay hat 8 / each end
OF this platform had teen doors opening to
the street, and fastened only with n hitch
on The inside. Egress from the building
was easier at tins point than at any other in
the building. No one knew this better
than the waichman. and " be had bis senses
in any degree he could have made his way
Into the street. Special.PolIceman limo
thy Pbelau, who Is employed by Mr..
Palmer as an officer said Yesterday, refer
ring to this point
1.-THE johnson brothers made several
attCmps to burn the place. On Saturday
niebt, April ID. thew made an Intellectual
effort, and again on the following Saturday
night. April 9th. On this aforementioned
Dight they we're accompanied by man
who was known Us Kelly. Kelly was in
reality a Pinkerton detective employed by
Mr.. Palmer TO make friends with the John.
son brothers and watch them. When they
reached the cOoperage they met Deery, and
they introduced Kelly to him rs their
cousin. DePry went away on his rounds
ara the johnson brothers and Kelly
stole up the stairs on The OUTSIDE
Of the building on north Fifth street.
These stairs led 10 the upper floor.
They bad told Kelly about not succeeding
in firing the place on the Saturday night
before, and SAID that they would do so
then. Townsend Johnson, when they got
near a pile OF Sbayings, loose wood, and
barrels, lit n match, and was in the act OF
ieuilng the pile when Kelly knocked a
barrel over, making great noise. The
NOISE attracted Deery's attention, and he
ran upstairs and ordered the men from tie
building. Deery, you know, was acquatnt'
cd with the Johnsons and knew their
father, who was the foreman OF the cooper
age.
Augustus johnson, the elder brOlher,"
the suecIal officer continued, "was angry
at Kelly for knocking the barrel over.
Kelly replied What's the use letting the
young fellow do II now? The wa'chman
saw him, and would surely give It away ="
The theory derived from all these cir
cUmstanc,s is that Deery may have dis.
covered the johnson brothers in the build
my on Saturday, and that in an attempt to
put them out, either before the fire was
kinCled or after be bad seen them kindle
the fle, be may have been killed.
Tie police OF the Bedford.ayenue station
are Of the opinion that Deery was murder
cd. and they believe that the johnson bro.
Tiers will probably make another comics
sion. Townsend johnson, the younger
Z brother, rs GC>crced by them a. the mos.
nervous prisoner that ever occupied cell
in the pohce.stItlon.
At the SIDE of Deery's body, near the
cbarred right hand. was the metal ring OF
his lantern. The left arm was raised with
tue band resting on the back Of the head.
The head was an unrecOgniZ able mass, IL
having been almost all burned away.